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March 30, 2014

I have swatches of the new OPI Sheer Tints for you today and since I've seen a lot of people asking "how can I use these?", I also did a couple of different looks with them. I've been dying to play around with these and once you check them out for a few minutes, your brain starts coming up with all kinds of ways to use them! I did want to show you all of them all alone also, to give you an idea of the color and opacity level. OPI I Can Teal You Like Me is a sheer blue-green. It is more green than it looks in my pictures, not quite as straight up blue.

This is three coats of I Can Teal You Like Me with OPI Top Coat. These are all very shiny by themselves, but I did use top coat in these swatches. The formula is like gel, thicker than normal polish. I didn't have trouble applying this at all and I think the gel-like consistency makes it easier for some nail art looks. You don't have to worry about polish running all over the place.

The most obvious use for these is sandwiching with glitter. Some people thought these might be too sheer for this purpose, but I thought they were just fine. This is three coats of I Can Teal You Like Me, one coat of OPI Which Is Witch?, and one more coat of Teal You Like Me on top.

OPI Don't Violet Me Down is a lovely shade of sheer violet purple. I can definitely see myself wearing this all by itself or in a jelly sandwich.

This is three coats and the consistency was the same thick gel feeling. Don't Violet Me Down was easy to apply and steak-free. I appreciate this- if you're going to do a sheer/jelly/tint, please keep it streak-free, right?

The OPI Sheer Tints can be layered over polishes to make a totally different look. Below, I used one coat of Don't Violet Me Down over OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls. This is like the ultimate pastel violet, so soft and delicate looking. Gorgeous! I would absolutely wear this as a full mani, especially right now during the spring.

I think OPI I'm Never Amberrassed is the only Sheer Tint I wouldn't wear all by itself. The yellow-orange look is not the most flattering on top of bare nails. It is a true amber color, and all I can think of is the mosquito trapped in amber in Jurassic Park LOL.

This is three coats. Amberrassed has the same gel formula and streak-free finish as the first two Sheer Tints. Once you get used to the thickness, it's easy to apply these.

OPI Be Magentale With Me is a sheer juicy bright pink. This looks so tasty in the bottle. This is the most "normal" looking one to wear all by itself.

This is three coats of Be Magentale and I found it to be less pigmented than the other three. The formula was also slightly less thick. Still streak-free, but I could have used a little more of the hot pink punch that was in the bottle.

I was dying to do a gradient with I'm Never Amberrassed and Be Magentale With Me, but I discovered I didn't have a sponge (I always use sponges for gradients). I decided to see if I could do it without a sponge, just using the brushes of the polishes. Luckily, these Sheer Tints are perfect for this kind of look, no sponge necessary! They really blend all together nicely, especially if you do the work while the base color (Amberrassed) is still wet. I did this look by painting a very very thin coat of Magentale on just half of each nail, over three coats of Amberrassed. I then went back and added more Magentale to the tips of my nails and topped everything off with OPI Top Coat. The top coat helped all the colors blend together too.

*Sent for review*

I am loving these Sheer Tints! I'm definitely not done playing around with them, so I'll have more looks for you soon. For any nail art enthusiast, or anyone who likes to experiment with different nail looks, these are a must have.

March 28, 2014

Peel-off base coats are not really new in the nail world. People have been making their own for quite some time now, using a mixture of Elmer's Glue and water. I personally had not ever tried a peel-off base coat myself until now, but I was very curious to try OPI Glitter Off. Why had I never tried a peel-off base coat? Well, let's remember that until very recently, I had very poor wear time with normal base coats, so I kind of figured peel-off base coats wouldn't last very long on me. I also heard they were very drying and I already have dry nails. OPI added some ingredients to counteract that drying tendency, so I wasn't worried about trying Glitter Off. Was I right about how peel-off base coats would wear on me personally? Find out below!

Above you can see the mani I did to test this base coat, three coats of SinfulColors Violets Are Blue topped with two coats of Lynnderella Forget You Not. I own chunkier glitters, but I was planning on wearing this combo anyway, so I went with this. I used a thin coat of Glitter Off on clean nails as my base for this mani and finished applying the whole thing at around 9 PM. This picture was taken the following morning at around 10 AM and the mani was still perfect on all 10 nails. I kept admiring it all morning. At 11:30 AM, I was admiring it again when I noticed a very small chip on my right thumb nail. By 11:45, I had a huge chip in my left thumb nail as well. I had washed my hands a few times that morning, but had not taken a shower at this point. At 12:04 PM (still hadn't showered), my whole right pointer had peeled off and my right ring was half peeled off.

*Sent for review*

By 1:15 PM only four of my nails had polish on them (all four on my left hand- my less used hand). Above you can see how two of the nails peeled off in neat little sheets (I found these two on the floor after noticing the two bare nails). At 2:07 PM, I had two nails that were still perfectly intact, my left ring and left pinky. These are probably my two least used nails on my less used hand. These two nails managed to stay chip-free and beautiful until 11:10 PM, a full 26 hours after I applied them. At that time, I gave up on my experiment and just peeled them off. My nails felt fine and not at all dry after peeling this off. I do believe I was right in thinking that a peel-off base coat wouldn't last on me personally. However, I have read several reviews where the person got great wear out of this base coat, no less than a regular base coat. It all comes down to personal nail chemistry, how much you wash your hands, how you use your hands, etc.

Despite the lack of good wear for me personally, I am still going to use this base coat. I think it's an absolute god-send for swatching glitters. I honestly don't know why I never thought of that before! I used Glitter Off for my OPI Spotlight on Glitters swatches and it made the whole thing go so much faster. I also plan to use this base coat when I wear glitter heavy manis that only need to last me around 16 hours or less. It's amazing for a night out. I do plan to test this further with different polishes for more conclusive results, so I will keep you posted of any changes. Overall, I think it's worth it to get a bottle or two of Glitter Off for swatching and easy removal of special night out manis.

March 27, 2014

Nicole by OPI Partners with Kellogg’s® Special K® on Nail Lacquer Launch

Expanding on the momentum of last year’s partnership, Nicole by OPI has once again collaborated withKellogg’s® Special K®tolaunch three custom nail lacquer shades for its "Shine Brighter" campaign. The campaign inspires women to be their best selves - healthy, confident and positive, to look better, feel better, and shine brighter.

“Nicole by OPI is excited to offer exclusive lacquers to Kellogg’sSpecial K consumers for a second time, because last year was such a big hit!” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Nicole by OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “We encourage women to show off their confidence in a positive way through color. When you look good, you feel good!”

The three custom shades include: Challenge Red-y (crème red), Live in the Momentum (crème blue) and My Sol Shines Brighter(crème coral). Shoppers will have the opportunity to receive free full-size bottles of Nicole by OPI nail lacquer by signing up for the Kellogg’s Family Rewards program and entering codes from specially marked boxes of Special K products, while supplies last.

With the purchase of three eligible Special K products, consumers will receive the shade Challenge Red-y. After submitting the purchase codes from five eligible Special K products, consumers will receive two lacquers - Live in the Momentum and My Sol Shines Brighter.

Nicole by OPI Signature edition Special K packages designed by Suzi Weiss-Fischmann will be available exclusively at Target. The designer packages are available only for select flavors (Original, Red Berries & Chocolatey Delight).

Nicole by OPI formulas are long-lasting, fast-drying, and salon-quality. This promotion will be available April 2014 in the US whereSpecial K products are sold.

Nicole by OPI offers a salon-quality range of bold, fashion-forward nail lacquers. The brand’s heritage is based on OPI’s well-established foundation of excellence in both color and technology, providing premium products to a broad range of consumers looking for trendsetting nail lacquers. Known for its celebrity collaborations and partnerships, the brand invites consumers to be creative and confident by expressing themselves through color. Currently, Nicole by OPI range boasts over 120 shades, including retailer-exclusive lacquers, and serves as the color authority for the younger demographic.

About Kellogg Company:

At Kellogg Company (NYSE: K), we are driven to enrich and delight the world through foods and brands that matter. With 2013 sales of $14.8billion and more than 1,600 foods, Kellogg is the world’s leading cereal company; second largest producer of cookies, crackers and savory snacks; and a leading North American frozen foods company. Our brands – Kellogg’s®, Keebler®, Special K®, Pringles®, Frosted Flakes®, Pop-Tarts®, Corn Flakes®, Rice Krispies®, Kashi®, Cheez-It®, Eggo®, Mini-Wheats® and more – nourish families so they can flourish and thrive. Through our Breakfasts for Better Days™ initiative, we’re providing 1 billion servings of cereal and snacks – more than half of which are breakfasts – to children and families in need around the world by the end of 2016. To learn more about Kellogg, visit www.kelloggcompany.comor follow us on Twitter @KelloggCompany.

Relationship with MLB Marks First-Ever Professional Sports League Licensing Agreement for OPI

OPI announces the launch of seven new limited edition nail lacquers inspired by Major League Baseball (MLB), marking the first-ever professional sports league licensing agreement for the company. Featuring a range of red, orange, blue and white hues, MLB Collection by OPI shades are ideal to mix, match and wear while fans cheer on their favorite MLB team.

“Enjoying a baseball game is one of America’s most celebrated pastimes,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Co-Founder & Executive VP. “For many years, men dominated the stands, but today, more and more women can be found in the crowds. Baseball boasts a lot of female fans looking to demonstrate their love of the game through fashion – from trendy, feminine sports apparel to themed accessories. Now, women can wear the limited edition MLB Collection nail lacquers to show support from head (and fingers) to toe!”

“Major League Baseball understands the importance of female fans in the growth and success of our sport, and so we continuously seek new opportunities to diversify our portfolio of licensed offerings to target this extensive fan base,” said Howard Smith, Senior Vice President, Licensing, Major League Baseball. “We are beyond thrilled to partner with OPI, a premium brand in a unique category of business, to launch this new line of exclusive nail polish, giving fans yet another colorful way to show off their team pride at the start of the 2014 baseball season.”

MLB Collection by OPI includes the following shades:

Short–STOP!

Go for it! This rich crème red is a real catch.

Love Athletes in Cleats

This shimmery red and a man in uniform…now that’s romantic.

Orange You Going to the Game?

This bright and playful orange is the ticket for fun.

Right Off the Bat

This frosty navy blue is a definite home run.

7th Inning Strrretch

Take this steely grey blue out to the ballgame.

Umpires Come Out at Night

Friday night at the game is perfect for this deep midnight blue.

Girls Love Diamonds

Whether on the finger or on the field, this pure white is totally engaging.

MLB Collection by OPI nail lacquer shades each feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application. MLB Collection will be available April 2014 – just in time for the start of the baseball season – at professional salons and select retailers for $9.00 suggested retail.

As the world leader in the professional nail care industry, OPI is committed to providing high-quality products and services to both salons and their customers, along with a focus on industry safety and innovation. Known for its exceptional formula, fashionable colors and iconic names,OPI’s heavily-pigmented lacquers are super rich, long-lasting and chip-resistant – offering an affordable luxury to consumers. OPI nail lacquer is available in over 200 shades. Each lacquer features OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application. Currently, OPI is available in over 100 countries and retails a full line of professional items, including nail treatments, finishing products, lotions, manicure/pedicure products, files, tools, gels and acrylics.

March 26, 2014

Well... I'm so behind on my Lynnderella spam that all of these manis are for holidays that are long gone now. I want to share them anyway in case you see something you want to pick up and save for next year! First up is a gorgeous polish that isn't specific to any holiday really, but was part of the Advent collection of LEs this past Christmas. Lynnderella My Old Twin Flame is an absolutely stunning periwinkle with a strong pink shift. The pink shift is visible in my pictures, but it is much stronger in person. This is three coats of My Old Twin Flame with no undies. DROOL!

Lynnderella All Heart is half of the Valentine's Day twinset. I really bought the twinset for the other half, a purple microglitter called Heart Spoken, but ended up loving All Heart! It comes with an extra little package of glitter too! I think the pink base I used is OPI Pink Friday and the red is OPI Big Apple Red.

Another Valentine's Day mani, Lynnderella Nail Bed of Roses. Nail Bed of Roses was a special edition polish that sold out SO fast. It's a stunning red holo microglitter. I also used Lynnderella Snake of the Year on the middle and ring nails. This is three coats of Nail Bed of Roses with no undies.

This was my St. Patrick's Day mani! Another special edition microglitter, but gorgeous green holo this time! Lynnderella Paddy Whack! is way prettier than my pictures depict. There was NO sunshine to be found the day I took these, so you can't see all the holo sparkles. Accent nail is A England St. George. This is three coats of Paddy Whack! with no undies. I love these microglitters Lynn is doing right now!

*Purchased by me*

Now that I have all of these holiday Lynns posted, I'll try to be a little more seasonal with my Lynnderella spam next time LOL! Lynnderella polishes are available at lynnderella.com, Glitter Connect andNorway Nails.

March 24, 2014

I have the rest of the OPI Spotlight on Glitter polishes for you today! This first one turned out to be a combo I really loved, OPI Desperately Seeking Sequins over OPI Thanks a Windmillion! So cute! Desperately Seeking Sequins has silver holo hex glitter, tiny silver holo bar glitter, and teeny silver sparkles in a clear base. I typically don't like bar glitter, but for some reason this didn't bother me. Maybe because they're so small.

This one was really easy to apply, this is one coat. The coverage was great and the glitter readily came out of the bottle. No problems here! Also, because the bar glitter is so small, it didn't hang over the edges of my nails either.

OPI I Reached My Gold! contains extra large gold hex glitter, small silver holo hex glitter and tiny silver holo glitter in a clear base. This is identical to OPI When Monkeys Fly, so it's really like a re-named re-release. I know some people missed out on that one, so here's your chance!

The best method for applying this is to just do one coat to get some of the smaller glitters on the nail and not even worry about the big hexes during this first coat. Then, I load the brush up and wipe the large gold hexes on to the neck of the bottle. Wipe all the excess base off of the brush, pick up the gold hexes one by one and apply to the nail. This sounds time consuming, but it isn't really. I think it's better than trying to get the glitter out by just applying coat after coat of the polish.

Finally, we have my favorite of this whole collection, OPI Blush Hour. I knew Blush Hour would be my favorite right from the promo pictures, it's also the most unique of the collection. Blush Hour has several different shades of pink glitter in a couple sizes and shapes, all in a pinky purple tinted jelly base. I layered it over OPI My Vampire Is Buff for this look, but it would definitely be great alone as well. Pink lovers will need this one!

This is just one coat of Blush Hour over My Vampire Is Buff. I think it would be perfect at three coats with no undies. It was very easy to apply, no dabbing or glitter placement needed.

Overall, my favorite is definitely Blush Hour. This collection has some nice choices for the glitter aficionado and for those who missed out on a couple of great OPI glitters from past collections. These swatches are all with OPI Glitter Off base coat and OPI top coat. Review of Glitter Off is up next!

Spotlight on Glitter by OPI collection is available now at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, jcp Salons, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, ULTA and ulta.com for $9.00 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each nail lacquer.

March 22, 2014

I think it's safe to say that you all know what a huge fan I am of all things glitter. I live in glitter polish. I don't remember the last time I wore just a plain creme with no glitter on top! I'm always happy to see new glitters, so I've been looking forward to the OPI Spotlight on Glitter collection. First up I have OPI Chasing Rainbows, a rainbow glitter in a clear base. Chasing Rainbows has hex glitter in various sizes and, of course, colors. I am always a sucker for these rainbow glitters, especially over a bright color, like OPI I Just Can't Cope-acabana (used here as my base color).

Chasing Rainbows has plenty of glitter and was easy to apply. It wasn't too thick with base, nor was it difficult to get the glitter on to the nail. This is mostly one coat, with a few extra glitter pieces added where I wanted to fill in a blank spot.

You may be wondering how Chasing Rainbows compares to Rainbow Connection from the first OPI Muppets collection. Just looking at the bottles, I think Rainbow Connection has more silver and green glitter, and more small glitter. But they are similar in concept, so if you missed Rainbow Connection, definitely get your hands on Chasing Rainbows!

OPI You Pink Too Much is a mixture of pale pink, almost silvery medium hex glitter and tiny holo silver glitter in a clear base. I layered this one over OPI Kiss Me I'm Brazilian.

This is one coat and it applied pretty well. I did dab this on, I thought it was easier to get the hex glitter on the nail that way. The consistency of the polish was a little thicker than Chasing Rainbows, but not bad or hard to use.

When I first saw You Pink Too Much, I immediately thought of OPI Pink Yet Lavender. As you can see from the bottle shots though, Pink Yet Lavender is much pinker. You Pink Too Much is very pale pink, so much so that it almost looks silver. Similar concept though, just different colors pinks.

I wanted to try OPI Rose of Light alone with no base because it does have fairly dense small rose gold glitter along with larger silver holo square glitters. You can definitely wear Rose of Light alone in three coats, it looked more opaque in person. My camera loves to make glitters look more sheer than they really are. Once this was on my nails, I got more of a tan/nude glitter vibe than a rose gold feeling, but it's still very pretty and delicate.

This is three coats of Rose of Light with no base color. This was very easy to use and applied nicely. Good coverage and great formula.

All of these swatches were done with the new OPI Glitter Off base coat and OPI top coat. I am currently testing Glitter Off, the new peelable base coat, so look for a review on that soon. I have to say, it definitely made these swatches easier! I'll have the rest of the Spotlight on Glitters collection reviewed soon.

Spotlight on Glitter by OPI collection is available now at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, jcp Salons, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, ULTA and ulta.com for $9.00 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each nail lacquer.
For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!